


far across the distance

by crispyboy



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Crack, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, chika cant focus on studying and procrastinates, dont we all, oh chika
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 07:44:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7749187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crispyboy/pseuds/crispyboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Death is surely upon poor Chika, with less than 12 hours left to cram for midterms. But instead of seeing angels, she hears piano playing. </p>
<p> <br/>inspired by the prompt "What the fuck are you doing it’s midnight why are you playing 'My Heart Will Go On’ on the piano" from http://bringmethehcrizcn.tumblr.com/post/96582852628/alright-but-have-you-considered-letter-found-in .....but with a twist</p>
            </blockquote>





	far across the distance

With a large, defeated sigh, Chika had abandoned her work desk skewed with an assortment of notes from class to flump down on her bed. She lazily felt around for her phone, clicking on to glance at the time.

_12:03AM_

Letting out a whine, Chika rolled over so that she was face down in a pile of pillows and stuffed toys.

“College shouldn’t be this haaaard,” she groaned, her voice muffled through the cotton of her beloved Alpaca. “Studying shouldn’t take this long!”

Reminding herself that now was _not_ the time to be dozing off, she hastily turned over to stare blankly at the ceiling.

“You can’t fail your midterms again, Chika.” She remembered You’s exasperated voice telling her as they were walking back from class one day. “Second chances aren’t too easy to obtain. Plus, I think you’ve used all yours up. 

“It’s too hard!” Chika had whined right back, slouching forward as if the weight of her struggles were pulling her down. “I can’t just study all night only to fail!” 

“Still, it’s better to actually study for once.” You had responded. “It really does make a difference, trust me.”

And thus Chika’s promise to study for her midterms were in action. Only she had left it too late and was now pulling an all-nighter to make up for four weeks of missed study time.

At least Kanan had the sympathy to help her start out, You being busy with her own studies. She had left just a little after 8:30PM, which seemed like an eternity ago to Chika.

“I have plans and both Mari and Dia have sent me at least three different texts reminding me,” she had explained sympathetically, putting her work materials in her bag as she was leaving. “I’m sure you’ll be fine from here. Just text me if there’s any problems, ok?”

Chika had attempted to continue on her own for the remainder of her time, however her own efforts of motivation had failed to help her continue. She had considered texting Kanan for help, but couldn’t think of anything to ask (plus Chika was sure she was busy with other matters).

All that was left was to finish reading the eight textbooks she had borrowed from the library (that’s what studying is, right?).

Of which she had finished three.

Whipping out her phone again, she decided to shoot You a quick text outlining her struggle.

 

**Chika:** how do u stay focused on studying??? im dyinggggggg

 

About a solid minute later, she received a response.

 

**You:** just try not to get distracted!!

**You:** i finished about two hours ago so im playing mario kart w/ maru, ruby and yoshiko

**Chika:** no fair!!!! can i join u????

**You:** finish studying first!!

 

Chika sighed, admitting defeat. She somehow always knew she would go down via schoolwork, however it was a little more anti-climatic than she would’ve like. She would’ve expected something like passing out in the middle of her finals, the other students rushing to her side as she delivered a heartfelt monologue dripping with emotion about how this sacrifice was made for the good of her friends. Her classmates would weep, as she would draw her last breath from the earth, a small but kind smile still on her lips as she fell still.

Oh, woe is Takami Chika! Still so young with so many years left to live before the cruel hand of the school system had taken away her precious life. How she had longed for the missed opportunities that were still to come for before her untimely death. She had wanted to see Shiitake grow old, watch her sisters get married to the people of their dreams. Heck, she still hadn’t even had a girlfr- 

Her thoughts of despair were interrupted by the very muffled, very distinct sound of piano notes. At first Chika thought that she had truly reached the afterlife and that this was the sweet melody that was here to guide her through to the other side.

Upon closer inspection, Chika had gotten up to draw the curtains of her dorm room to track the source of the gentle melody which she could hear more clearly now. Stepping out onto the balcony, she noticed the dimly lit room across from her own.

A girl with long hair was seated at the stool of a keyboard, her fingers dancing across the keys as if she were performing an ancient ritual. They traced the edges of every note as if she had done this countless times before. The girl faced sideways to the balcony, and Chika noticed that her eyes were closed in concentration, as if she were focusing all of her energy to the movement of her fingertips. She moved ever so slightly, yet not at all; it was easy to tell that she was a master at this art, confidence radiating from every note that was made.

Chika found herself entranced by the other girl. The song that was being played was obviously a very emotional one, as she noticed the tune had begun to shift to a sadder theme in contrast to before. She wondered how many years it would’ve taken the girl to become so exceptional at such an instrument; certainly a lot more dedication than Chika had put into her own studying.

She watched the girl’s eyebrows crease slightly during a bundle of particularly difficult notes, her teeth digging into bottom lip. Her soft, pink tinged lips, illuminated by the glow of the lamp at her side. Her cheeks were of a similar shade in contrast, complemented by the cool complexion of her face.

Chika noticed that she wasn’t paying attention to the music anymore.

Chika continued staring from her balcony, her arms folded underneath her as she gazed into the room across from her own. The long-haired girl started humming to the tune of her song. Chika was certain her heart skipped a beat. Although her full voice couldn’t be heard, her hum was smooth and consistent, despite the fact that she should’ve been tired.

Suddenly, the gears started turning in her head as she payed a little more attention to the song that was being played.

Wait a minute.

Was that _My Heart Will Go On?_

Everything stopped at once as Chika’s mind had caught up to the rather shocking realisation. She had spent a full minute and a half admiring the musically-gifted girl in the room across from her without realising that the song was from one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the 20th century. She should really be ashamed for not noticing sooner. Rather, her attention chose to focus on the impromptu performer instead of the piece itself.

She continued watching, unsure if the girl was aware of her nearby presence. As the girl transitioned from one verse to another, a dark, mischievous (and possibly stupid) thought started brewing in the back of Chika’s mind.

She shouldn’t. 

But it was too late.

Chika had sprinted back inside in search for the one object that could really make this night perfect. She swung upon her closet and started frantically rummaging through her belongings, throwing clothes and the like behind her in search for her desired object. 

It had to be here, right? Chika certainly remembered packing literally anything and everything before her move to the college dorms, so surely she would’ve seen it somewhere in her room and made excuses for its importance for the move. Shoving her hand into the depths of one of her discarded travel bags, she felt the familiar mould of the plastic and grinned, yanking it out.

She marvelled at the small instrument of mass destruction (or just mild annoyance), wiping off any dust and dirt that might have fallen onto it. Blowing into it to make sure it still worked and she had the right notes, she rushed back out to the balcony. The girl was still playing, only seconds from the chorus.

Chika waited.

And waited.

And waited just a bit more. 

She inhaled.

The girl on the piano hit the notes right before the break.

It was time for the showstopper.

“ _PWEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!”_

The girl at the piano flinched, her fingers slipping onto wrong notes at the sudden intrusion, her head quickly whipping around to look at the culprit who had so very startlingly (and loudly) decided to accompany her.

Her cheeks blushed a furious shade of red at being caught doing such a _scandalous_ activity. The girl across from her had chosen to join her during the chorus on her recorder, albeit a very off-key and screechy rendition of the song she was playing.

Despite the fact that she had stopped playing after being startled, the recorder girl kept playing on her own, as if the world was her stage and she was a grand performer with no limitations.

All while the performance was taking place at midnight in a campus full of stressed college students pulling all-nighters.

Amongst the madness of the scene, the long-haired girl found herself laughing. Standing up, she slid open the screen door and stood out on the balcony, basking in the glory that was this stranger’s recorder cover of _My Heart Will Go On_.

Chika, having finally realised that her performance was now a solo piece, opened her eyes and looked across the balcony to see the piano girl now outside, staring at her.

“Why did you stop?” Chika asked aloud, looking back at the girl. “It was meant to be a duet!”

“I would’ve been fine playing along with you, had I not gotten such a shock from your intro.” The girl spoke, laughter in her silk-like voice. It reminded Chika of the ocean, and she instantly felt at ease when talking to her.

“Ah, I guess that is my fault,” Chika said sheepishly, scratching at the base of her scalp. “Sorry for scaring you.”

“You didn’t scare me!” The long haired girl said almost defensively, her hands waving out in front of her. “Well, kind of… But I shouldn’t have been playing the piano instead of studying anyway, so I guess it’s my fault.” 

Chika smiled. “How about we both take the blame? I mean, if you think about it, it really should be my fault, but I’m ok with sharing!”

The girl across from her giggled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “That’s fine by me,” she said. “What’s your name?”

“Takami Chika.” The orange haired girl grinned, instinctively putting her hand out for a handshake before realising her mistake. “Ah, I guess you can’t really reach me from there…”

“It’s ok, the earnestness is still there,” the girl smiled. “I’m Sakurauchi Riko.”

“That’s a pretty name!” Chika beamed, letting her arms draped over the edge of the balcony railing. “So, how long have you been playing the piano for, Riko?”

“I started lessons when I was six,” Riko said, adopting a similar position to Chika with her hands folded neatly on top of each other. “I’m currently doing a bachelor of music, and I also play the viola along with it, but right now it’s all really…”

Chika bit her lip. “Hard?”

Riko looked up at the other girl. “Yeah. I’m kind of in a slump right now, which is unfortunate,” she glanced up at the sky, “and untimely.”

“Well, if you ever need any help, I can always back you up on my recorder!” Chika said, bringing it to her lips once more to demonstrate her finesse. 

Smiling back at her, Riko leaned forward slightly. “So I take it you’re not majoring in music like I am, then?”

Gasping with mock offense, Chika pouted. “That’s a hurtful assumption, but I guess it’s true.” She tapped her fingers along the plastic tube. “I’m actually switching between majors right now. I’m not exactly sure what I want to pursue just yet.” 

Chika laughed sheepishly, “I’m trying out business management right now, since it’s what my older sister did, but I don’t think it’s for me.”

Riko frowned. “Do you know what you want to do instead?”

“Think I can get into a music major with my recorder?”

Smiling, Riko leaned into one of her hands. “That depends. How long have you been playing?” 

Chika hummed in thought, tapping the instrument in question against her cheek. “I mean, I was probably a master at age ten, but then there was a long hiatus.  

“How long?”

“I’d say about… eight years? Give or take a few months?”

Riko gasped. “But you sound like you’ve been doing it for years!”

Chika laughed. “What can I say, I’m probably the descendent of Mozart!”

“Isn’t he Austrian?”

“…That’s not important.”

“I’d say it is pretty important, though,” said Riko. “Plus, Mozart was more known as a pianist and violinist. I don’t think he ever played the recorder.” 

“That’s ridiculous! Surely he went to grade school?”

“School would’ve been different back then. Besides, not every school teaches the recorder.”

“Did you ever learn the recorder, Riko?”

 Silence filled the space between them as Riko’s face grew warmer.

“…No.” 

Gasping, Chika slapped her own cheek in shock. “You mean you’re a master at every single instrument but you never learnt to play the recorder?!”

Riko blushed. “Only two instruments! And I was taking special music classes outside of school, so I never needed to.”

Still not satisfied, Chika only became more astounded by what she was hearing. “I can’t believe this! The recorder was such a big part of so many children’s school experience and you weren’t apart of it at all!" 

“Please lower your voice, we don’t want to disturb everyone else.” Riko begged, her voice hushed. “This is so embarrassing…”

“It doesn’t have to be!” Chika declared, standing up straight (with her voice only lowered just a bit). “I can teach you how to play!”

“…Teach me?”

“Sure!” said Chika, a triumphant smile plastered on her face. “And in return, you can teach me how to play piano!”

Riko stiffened, casting her gaze to the railing at her side. “I don’t know, Chika…” 

“Aw, but it’ll be fun!” Chika whined, bringing her shoulders back. “Then we can do piano-recorder duets of _My Heart Will Go On_ , and I might even be able to help you get out of your slump!”

Riko looked back at Chika, her eyebrows knitted. “I can probably help you learn the piano, but I don’t know about the recorder.”

“Come on! It’ll be a fair trade that way,” said Chika. “So I could pay you back for teaching me piano.”

A few seconds of silence went by before Riko finally looked Chika in the eye, sceptical. “I’m not an easy-going teacher.”

Chika shivered, Riko’s sudden change in tone sending an invigorating sensation down her spine. She stared right back. “I understand.”

“It won’t be easy.”

“I can take it.”

“It would have to cut into your free time.”

“That is absolutely fine by me.” Chika responded. As if she would pass up the opportunity to spend time with a pretty girl she’d just met. 

Riko sighed. “I guess I can’t really say no, huh?” 

Determination glowed in Chika’s eyes, nodding her head excitedly. Smiling back at her, Riko chuckled lightly. 

“It’s funny how these things could happen at midnight, when you would normally be asleep.”

Chika hummed in agreement. “I like to think that things like this happen because of fate.”

Yet another blush creeping up on her face, Riko nearly choked, flustered.

“F-Fate?”

Chika felt herself blush, however still maintaining a confident smile. She had essentially just introduced a rather romantic element into their conversation, however something about the other girl made her feel at ease. Perhaps it really was fate, or maybe something else that Chika couldn’t fully identify just yet. Nonetheless, she nodded and spoke again. “Yeah.”

Riko gulped and felt the tenseness that had welled up inside her shoulders relax. Her heartbeat, although having been pounding against her chest just moments before, slowed down to a normal pace as she breathed.

“I guess things do happen for a reason.” She said, gazing up at the stars that littered and illuminated the blackness above their heads. It was weird how one minute, Riko was playing the piano as a means of escaping the horrors of late-night studying, only to have a loud recorder screech suddenly join in with an impromptu duet the next.

_This is nice_ , both of them thought to themselves, basking in the glow of the moon from their separate balconies. Silently, they hoped that it would happen a thousand other times. 

“This is nice,” Chika sighed aloud. “This is way better than-“

A muffled yet distinct ringtone intruded her passage of speech, bringing (or rather yanking) Chika back to the present. She felt the colour drain from her face as she could only imagine who was calling.

“Is that your phone?” Riko asked, moving her head slightly to the side to look past Chika into her dorm.

“Yeah…” Chika responded guiltily. “It’s probably You calling to see how my studying is going.”

Riko quickly bowed her head in a flustered apology. “I’m sorry I distracted y-“

“No! You didn’t distract me at all!” Chika replied just as fast, waving her hands in front of her. “I really should’ve finished earlier, anyway.”

Riko looked back up, still a tinge of guilt stricken in her face. “I see then,” her thoughts went back to her own work, then to the phone that still idly rang out in Chika’s room. “You should probably answer your phone.”

“Ah! You’re right!” said Chika, turning to run back inside. Before leaving, however, she turned her head to face Riko once again, smiling. “It was really nice to meet you! See you tomorrow!”

“You mean later today?”

“Same thing!”

Not wanting to leave, yet knowing she had to, she ducked back inside and closed the balcony door behind her. She saw Riko do the same. The long haired girl looked up before pulling the curtains and smiled, offering a tiny wave of her hand. Chika smiled and waved back, only stopping once the curtains had been fully closed.

Picking up her phone (which had long stopped ringing since the first call and was now on the second), the bright ‘ _You’_ flashed back at her in white text. Not wasting another second, she answered.

“Oh, thank goodness!” She heard You sigh from the other end. “Why didn’t you respond to my texts?”

“Sorry, You,” Chika replied, laying down in bed. “I kinda missed them. My bad.”

“Well, at least you responded to my call,” You said. “What were you doing, anyway!”

“Uh, studying!” Chika said, a little too quickly.

Silence.

“I’d like to believe you, but due to your tendency to doze off when you’re bored, I’m afraid I can’t.”

Rude.

“You got me,” admitted a defeated Chika, “I wasn’t studying, but I definitely wasn’t sleeping, either!”

“What were you doing, then?”

Chika felt herself smiling a secret smile and looked past her balcony in the one barely more than two arms’ lengths apart.

“It’s a funny story, actually…”

 

**Author's Note:**

> good job if you made it this far! this is the first fic ive uploaded since 2012 (hopefully ive improved since then) so please tell me what you think/if i should write more!!


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